Bill > S2216

Introduced Session

This bill would permit a municipality to adopt an ordinance prohibiting an applicant from obtaining employment with the municipal police department, paid fire department, or part-paid fire department unless the applicant agrees to remain a resident of the municipality for the first five years of his employment. The bill also permits this residency requirement to be established for county and regional police and fire forces. Under the bill, the Commissioner of Community Affairs would have to approve such a requirement for a municipality or county before it may take effect. In any local jurisdiction with such a requirement, the applicant would have six months from the date the applicant begins his or her official duties, following all requisite training, to relocate to the municipality, county, or region served by the force. The bill would allow an exception to this residency requirement if any member of the fire department or police department suffers injury, or a threat of injury, to his person, family, or property, committed by another who acts with purpose to: (1) intimidate the member because of his status as a member; (2) manipulate an investigation; or (3) otherwise influence the member to violate his official duty. The bill requires municipalities adopting municipal police department, paid fire department, or part-paid fire department residency requirements under the bill to establish incentives for residency within the municipality, as well as a tuition aid reimbursement program for municipal police department, paid fire department, and part-paid fire department members who complete the five-year residence requirement. The bill would prohibit the enforcement of a residency requirement adopted as part of a shared service agreement, a joint contract, the creation of a regional department, or a joint meeting among local units for law enforcement or fire protection with respect to a person who on the effective date of the bill is a member of a police department or force, or a member of a fire department or force that is a party to such an agreement or the creation of such a regional entity after the effective date of the bill, unless the person is already a resident of a local unit served by such an entity on the effective date of the bill.

Committee Categories

Teresa Ruiz (D)*, 

Senate Community and Urban Affairs Hearing (10:00:00 5/6/2024 Committee Room 1, 1st Floor, State House Annex, NJ) (on 05/06/2024)

Official Document